Dental Assistant Practice Exam

What type of dental injury involves pain from exposed dentin due to trauma?

1. Enamel Fracture

2. Root Fracture

3. Fractured Teeth

4. Pulp Necrosis

The correct answer is: Fractured Teeth

The correct answer relates to fractured teeth, as this type of dental injury can result in exposed dentin that causes pain. When a tooth is fractured, the protective enamel and sometimes even the dentin layer underneath can be compromised, leading to sensitivity and pain due to exposure to stimuli such as temperature or air. The dentin, which is softer than enamel and contains microscopic tubules that connect to the nerve, can trigger discomfort when exposed. Other types of injuries mentioned do not typically involve exposed dentin in the same way. An enamel fracture primarily affects only the outer layer of the tooth and doesn’t usually reach the dentin, which means the underlying nerve endings are generally untouched, thus causing minimal pain. A root fracture, meanwhile, involves only the root structure of the tooth and might not result in immediate pain unless inflammation or infection occurs. Pulp necrosis, on the other hand, refers to the death of the pulp tissue inside the tooth, which can lead to pain, but is a later stage of dental injury resulting from untreated dental issues rather than a direct response to trauma exposing dentin.